266
People who signed Lifewise's petition
Maryland is a
"No-Statute" state
| Location Map | Annapolis, MD 21401 Anne Arundel County |
| Lifewise Local Program Website | Link (opens in a new tab) |
| District Poverty Rate | 6.2% (data source) |
| Non-White Students | 54.4% (data source) |
| NCES Link | NCES District Info |
| Last Updated | January 18, 2026 |
There is no state statute regulating released time for religious instruction, federal rulings still apply. "No-Statute" states function in theory the same way as "May-Law" states.
School districts may create a policy allowing students to be released for religious study, or they may choose not to
coordinate with released-time programs and require the students' legal guardians facilitate the process.
Read more about "May" and "Shall" state laws
States with no statute for released time religious instruction are treated like "may" states. Released time programs would need to request approval from the local school board. School districts should not allow a released time program to operate in the district without a specific released time policy.
The federal case laws that mandate how released time functions should be followed. Zorach vs Clauson states:
- The public schools should be neutral. “School authorities are neutral in this regard, and do no more than release students whose parents so request.”
- No announcements in the school with regard to the released time program.
- Released time classes are held off of school property
- No public funds or employees are used to facilitate the released time program.
- Parents give their signed consent form to the administration.
School districts in states without a statute mandating a released time policy can choose not to allow released time or to coordinate with religious organizations seeking to remove students from school during the school day.
School districts should always have a policy indicating whether they coordinate with released-time religious instruction programs. Not having a policy at all and leaving it up to the released time program should never be the operating standard. This will open the district up to misinterpretation of its intent.
It is suggested that parents approach the school board and request that a released time religious instruction policy be implemented, even before a religious program approaches the district.
This does not encompass all legal requirements, and other legal opinions may exist. Please use this as a guide only.
All school districts, regardless of whether they are required by law to allow released time, should implement good policy and be prepared for when a released time program may approach the district. The time to set the policy is before an active program is pressuring the district. Research polices the district can implement to protect teachers' and students' instruction time. Set polices that limit disruptions to students and the ability for proselytization to occur, impacting other students of faith or no faith. A more detailed write-up on school board policies can be read here.
Share With Others Click to share| School | Step | Description | Grades | Period | Signatures |
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| AACPS Virtual Academy | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Annapolis Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 2 | ||
| Annapolis High | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 2 | ||
| Arnold Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Belle Grove Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Brooklyn Park Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Central Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Chesapeake High | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 4 | ||
| Crofton Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| George T. Cromwell Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Jacobsville Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Lake Shore Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 2 | ||
| Macarthur Middle | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 2 | ||
| Monarch Academy | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Monarch Academy Annapolis Es | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Northeast High | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Pasadena Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Severna Park High | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 7 | ||
| Severna Park Middle | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| South River High | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 2 | ||
| Traceys Elementary | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Annapolis Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Anne Arundel Evening High | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Arundel High | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Arundel Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Belvedere Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Benfield Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Bodkin Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Broadneck Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Broadneck High | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Brock Bridge Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Brooklyn Park Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Cape St. Claire Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Carrie Weedon Early Education Center | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Center of Applied Technology-North | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Center of Applied Technology-South | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Central Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Central Special School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Chesapeake Bay Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Chesapeake Science Point | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Corkran Middle School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Crofton High School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Crofton Meadows Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Crofton Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Crofton Woods Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Davidsonville Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Deale Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Eastport Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Edgewater Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Ferndale Early Education Center | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Folger Mckinsey Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Fort Smallwood Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Four Seasons Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Freetown Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| George Fox Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Georgetown East Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Germantown Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Glen Burnie High | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Glen Burnie Park Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Glendale Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Hebron - Harman Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| High Point Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Hillsmere Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Hilltop Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Jessup Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Jones Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Lindale Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Linthicum Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Lothian Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Magothy River Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Manor View Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Marley Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Marley Glen School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Marley Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Mary Moss at Adams Academy | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Maryland City Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Mayo Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Meade Heights Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Meade High | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Meade Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Millersville Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Monarch Global Academy Pcs Laurel Campus | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Nantucket Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| North County High | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| North Glen Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Oak Hill Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Oakwood Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Odenton Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Old Mill High | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Old Mill Middle North | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Old Mill Middle South | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Overlook Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Park Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Pershing Hill Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Phoenix Academy | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Piney Orchard Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Point Pleasant Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Quarterfield Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Richard Henry Lee Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Ridgeway Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Rippling Woods Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Riviera Beach Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Rolling Knolls Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Ruth Parker Eason School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Seven Oaks Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Severn Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Severn River Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Severna Park Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Shady Side Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Shipley's Choice Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Solley Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| South Shore Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Southern High | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Southern Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Southgate Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Studio 39 | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Sunset Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Tyler Heights Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Van Bokkelen Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Walter S. Mills - Parole Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Waugh Chapel Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| West Annapolis Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| West Meade Early Education Center | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Wiley H. Bates Middle | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Windsor Farm Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Woodside Elementary | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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